Host Pathogen Interactions in Enteric Bacterial Infections

Shigella spp. are Gram-negative pathogens that cause Bacillary dysentery, a bloody form of diarrhea. There are almost 200 million cases and close to 2 million deaths from shigellosis per year. Shigella's pathogenesis requires invasion of the colonic mucosa, initiating a severe acute inflammation. The inflammatory response to Shigella is rich in neutrophils, which contribute initially to the tissue damage characteristic of shigellosis but eventually resolve the infection. In contrast to other host cell types, neutrophils prevent Shigella from escaping the phagosome although the bacteria are viable for up to one hour in this compartment before they are killed.

Current research in the lab is focused on the interaction of Shigella with the innate immune system and the resolution of the disease. We are investigating the role of neutrophil proteins in the killing of virulent Shigella and identifying neutrophil factors that inhibit the escape of Shigella from the phagosome.